Moving to Mexico: Mail Forwarding Services

If you’re heading off to start a new life south of the border, you’ll need to develop a plan on how to handle any mail sent to you back in your country of origin.

The simplest solution is to use the address of a close friend or relative who is patient enough to go through your mail and notify you if anything important arrives. Personally, I like this option; however, it still creates some logistical problems when sensitive items such as checks or replacement credit/debit cards are sent to you.

Another option is to use a mail forwarding service.

How They Work

A mail forwarding service provides you with a unique mailing address in your country of origin and they process any mail that is sent to you at that location. The nice thing is that they can even receive packages and certified/registered mail.

Since the quality and selection of services will differ a bit from company to company, I’ve decided to focus the article on the services of a well-known U.S. company: Mailbox Forwarding, Inc.

Online access to mail

The company scans the front of the envelope or package and uploads those images to a database. You can then view and manage your mail via their secure portal.

With each piece of mail, you have three options: 1) give authorization for the mail to be opened and scanned; 2) request that it be shredded; or 3) request that the mail be forwarded to you in Mexico.

Forwarding options

Mail can be forwarded to you all over the world via parcel services like FedEx.

Check deposit

If you receive a check, you can have it deposited into your bank account through your online portal.

I really like this option. After we moved to Mexico, we had some checks mailed to us back in the U.S. and it was a pain getting them deposited.

Free fax number

On the rare occasion that you need to have something faxed to you, you can use the free fax number that comes with your account.

Cost

This type of service starts around $14.95 a month.

Let’s Wrap This Up

If you’re planning on making Mexico your permanent home, I recommend using a service like this for at least the first year. You’d be surprised how many little issues will come up when you cancel all your services and move. Most of them are easy to fix — but only if you receive timely notification.

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About the Author

Paul Kurtzweil (Q-Roo Paul) was a deputy sheriff in Florida for 25 years and retired at the rank of lieutenant in 2015. He moved to Mexico with his wife six days later to enjoy a laid-back, Caribbean lifestyle on a tight budget.

In 2016, Paul started a blog to share information with other people who may be thinking of making the move to Mexico. The blog, Two Expats Living in Mexico (qroo.us), has been viewed over a million times and Paul’s articles appear in periodicals across Mexico.

I have a question about your reference to the check deposit (If you receive a check, you can have it deposited into your bank account through your online portal.)

Wouldn’t they need access to your bank account in order to do this? I ask because this is a very important element in my business, one that I have been struggling to figure out before we move this summer.

I use a mail forwarding company and it is nice to have a place that can receive your personal mail and packages in the US. The mail forwarding company I use can even combine packages (Amazon for example) into 1 larger box and ship them worldwide via the big 4 couriers: USPS, DHL, UPS, FedEx. However, my experience with FedEx has not been that good as they have messed up 2 international shipments: both I had to go to the FedEx hub to pick up the parcels when they were paid for and supposed to be door delivery. DHL and UPS on the other hand seem to find the international addresses OK though. I have had the best results when I ship overseas using DHL. They are there, they can find the international address quickly within 2-3 days. They’re usually more expensive, but the proof is in the reliability of the delivery.

The service is useful when listing a U.S address with companies you still do some business with — especially financial institutions.

I think the service is most useful the first year after you move. You can submit a single address change to the U.S. postal service and keep track of anything that is trying to find you. I was surprised how many things there were that required our attention.

Paul, thank you for this particular blog. We have lived here for four years and have had a family member receiving our mail. While we are very grateful, it is just not the best option for us. So, I have been researching mail forwarding services and trying to decide which one is best. Now, we feel more comfortable making that decision. P.S. We have not had luck with FedEx. They keep saying they don’t deliver here when we see their trucks at clubhouse all the time.